Backwoodsman Files: Shooting 22 lr out of 22 mag

S

Scottman

Joined
Jun 24, 2007
Messages
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An Empty 22 mag case, a 22 long, and 22 short. Works with the 22 lr also.



"Have been following the thread on .22 LR in a .22 Mag chamber, and have a
comment on how it can be done. I suspect the gun manufacturers wouldn't like
this trick, but it does work: I did it years ago with a Savage 24 in .22 Mag
and I suspect it will work in any other gun if you can get to the chamber the
right way.

Take a fired .22 Mag case, and with a fine file, remove the entire head until
what you have is an open-ended cylinder. This can be inserted into the
chamber to form a "sleeve" inside it. This case will accept a .22 LR case
just fine, and will provide enough shimming that the LR case won't split. The
length of the sleeve should be as long as possible, but not long enough to
interfere with extractor action, and of coure the entire .22 Mag rim has to be
removed to prevent the sleeve from being extracted with the fired round.
Shooting one or two .22 LRs will seat this sleeve tightly and it won't come
out until you deliberately remove it. This can be done by folding down one
edge with a fine flat tool and pulling it out with a pair of needle nose
forceps or a hemostat. It's possible a broken-case extractor might be needed,
but I didn't have to go this route.

This is of course a "jury rig" and not really a good way to do things, but it
works, and if you're in a position where you absolutely can't get .22 Mag, it
may be a viable alternative. Just be careful not to damage the chamber wall
on removal.

One problem I did have was that increased clearance of the head of the .22LR
case from the extractor cause it to bulge a bit at that point--not enough to
rupture, but enough to cuase a noticeable dimpling of the head."

22 short, 22 long, and 22 long rifle are .223. 22 mag is .224 which why this actually works.



Bingo :)
 
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Very informative post. I tried a .22 LR in my model 94-.22mag, and yup, the case split and was hard to extract. Your improvisation is well thought out, and a good last-ditch method if you run out of .22mag ammo and have .22 LR.

Thanks.
 
I'm sure this will work, but what is the purpose tho? I can get a new marlin 22 for a little over a hundred bones. Not to mention I"m sure everyone has one or more 22 in their closet.
 
I've done it for quite a while, it works. Usually the LR case will expand enough that the sleeve pulls out during extraction, but if it doesn't, a bore brush run in from the front of the cylinder (or barrel on a single shot) will push the sleeve right out.

A thought just occurred to me. I haven't tried it in a semiauto yet. I wonder if the 60gr SSS or any of the hypervelocity rounds would provide enough oomph to actually work the action. I know that CCI's WRF will cycle in my CZ611, so I'll have to give it a try.
 
Everything has a purpose.

You have a couple of rifles, for a fixed number of people, one's a 22 win mag, you want to keep that rifle running, but don't have anymore 22 mag ammo, you do this.

You want to carry one firearm in your plane. You happen to like the 22 mag for the added ummp. Plane breaks down, you're stuck in the boonies for some odd reason. After a while you run out of 22 mag ammo. You stumble across an old cabin that happens to more common 22 long rifle. bingo.

You happen to like the savage 24 camper model in 22 mag over 20 guage. A very versatile bug out wilderness and foraging gun. Now you know you can always shoot 22 lr out of it without splitting cases if ya have to.

Of course you can get a 22 long rifle rifle for not a lot of money. I bought one for 20 dollars. The 22 lr is the backbone of any gun collection. This is how to keep the machine that uses consumables up and running.
 
No problem, glad to help good people.

Now will someone with a 22 win mag double action revolver please try it?

Please???

I'm thinking a double action 22 mag revolver would be a great foraging gun, no magazine to loose, decent capacity in a revolver 8 shot ball park taurus, pack good punch at longer distance compared to the 22 long rifle, higher penetration through higher velocity, and with this sleeve idea be able to shoot 22 caps, shorts, longs, long rifles, AND IT"S DOUBLE ACTION NOT LIKE THE RUGER SINGLE SIX :) In other words, a step up for a defensive encounter... First shot, snake shot, second cb short, all the rest... whatever you want!! That's the beauty of a revolver, turn the cylinder and you have "pop" to "crack".
 
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dang it, you will shoot your eye out!

As a last ditch effort to utilize things, this might work ok, but it darn sure is not prudent.
 
Scottman said:
Everything has a purpose.

You have a couple of rifles, for a fixed number of people, one's a 22 win mag, you want to keep that rifle running, but don't have anymore 22 mag ammo, you do this.

You want to carry one firearm in your plane. You happen to like the 22 mag for the added ummp. Plane breaks down, you're stuck in the boonies for some odd reason. After a while you run out of 22 mag ammo. You stumble across an old cabin that happens to more common 22 long rifle. bingo.

You happen to like the savage 24 camper model in 22 mag over 20 guage. A very versatile bug out wilderness and foraging gun. Now you know you can always shoot 22 lr out of it without splitting cases if ya have to.

Of course you can get a 22 long rifle rifle for not a lot of money. I bought one for 20 dollars. The 22 lr is the backbone of any gun collection. This is how to keep the machine that uses consumables up and running.
Click to expand...

The 24C Savage "Camper" is one of my favorite rifles. I didn't know they came in a 22 mag. So you don't need to notch the 22mag brass for the extractor? I suppose you could slip a screw into the brass and pull it out easy enough. If you had to, you could rub the primer end of the 22mag brass to file it down or consider having a few of the modified 22 mag brass already made, right? Interesting concept. Thanks
 
I've done it in my Smith M51. No worries, just keep the chambers clean (bore snake).
 
I haven't shot for groups, just for function and plinking. Next time I get out I'll put up a piece of paper and see what happens.
 
Scottman said:
how were your groups putting the smaller 22 cal bullet down the larger barrel??
Click to expand...

The 22 lr and the 22 mag have the same diameter bullet (0.224"). The bullet design of the 22 lr has the bullet diameter the same as the case diameter (a "heeled" bullet). In the mag, the case is of larger diameter to fully encase the 22 caliber bullet. Any deficiencies in accuracy would be more likely be attributable to the nature of the conversion, and not necessarily attributable to bullet design.
 
ahhh thanks! I forgot that. I was looking at heeled bullets for the 410 a while ago.

many thanks, brain fart!
 
great tip since some small country stores may be out of the mags. in texas growing up we could get 22 ammo at lots of gas stations. the 22 short is great in urban areas for quite dispatching of pests.of course i do'nt mean using the short in a revolver since it can still be quite noisy.
 
Yeppers!

longer barrel length quiets the rounds down

revolver also has the cylinder gap, minus the 1895 nagant design.
 
DennisStrickland said:
great tip since some small country stores may be out of the mags. in texas growing up we could get 22 ammo at lots of gas stations...
Click to expand...

I taught a rifle class at a big gun club. They had a large clubhouse with a classroom, a 'conversation area' with overstuffed couches and chairs and a fully equipped kitchen. In the kitchen was a vending machine with candy, gum, chips and...Remington Thunderbolts! My partner took one look at the vending machine and said, "22's in a vending machine?! GOD BLESS AMERICA!"
 
I've also been thinking.

You have your 22 mag

(personally I really like the idea of the 22 mag cricket rifle-lightweight for a backpack meat gun)


No real "quiet" loads exist.

Make some of these adapters- FREE

Insert 22 shorts, longs, long rifle cartridge into your adapters

BUT

put some loctite on the smaller case in the 22 mag case- not around the bullet mind you.

I'd bet that after you shoot these they would eject like normal because of the bond with the loctite. Then you have good range and penetration with the 22 mag for more open areas, but can also make some of these up that won't destroy stuff/meat close up.

Just a thought.
 
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